This is the first opportunity for Toledo Walleye to play in the ECHL playoffs since they nearly won the Kelly Cup in 2019.
TALEDA, Ohio – Toledo Valley pick up right where they left off the last time they played in the unbroken ECHL season.
Approaching winning the Kelly Cup as the league’s best team in the 2019 final, Walleye missed an opportunity to try again after COVID-19 cut short the 2019-2020 season, and Walleye dropped out of the game last year.
The fish still came back.
The Valley finished the season with the best result in the league, which brought them the Brabham Cup and an advantage on home ice in the playoffs.
And, as great as it is, everyone knows that the real prize comes from winning the playoffs, which Walleye still needs to do in the history of its franchise.
Round 1 – against the Cincinnati Cyclones.
The Huntington Center was absolutely shocked on Friday night when the hockey playoffs returned to downtown Toledo.
It didn’t take the cleaners even 5 minutes to pick up the real Walleye, thrown from the stands after John Albert scored his first of three goals in the evening.
It was a tough win for Walleye anyway, as the Cyclones battled Fish with a 2-2 draw until the end of the main event.
And in clear evidence that both teams in the first round of the playoffs are playing hard to win, it took a full 14 minutes 55 seconds before Albert knocked the puck off the net, the back of the Cyclone goalkeeper and hit the net. securing the win and his second hat-trick of the season.
After the game, Albert spoke about the importance of fans in helping the team to victory.
“I want to thank the fans. It’s just great energy in the building. It’s nice to be home. They feed us, they make us work, and obviously in overtime we won.”
Game 2 – Saturday, April 23
